Scottish Executive

Food Labelling

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is currently taking to progress the introduction of clear country of origin labelling on food products and what timescale it envisages for completing the introduction of such labelling.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: On matters of food safety and standards the Scottish Executive is advised by the Food Standards Agency. Currently, the Food Labelling Regulations 1996 require particulars of the place of origin or provenance of a food to be shown if failure to give such information might mislead a purchaser to a material degree as to the true origin or provenance of the food.

  I am advised by the agency that they are committed to pressing for changes in EU rules to widen the requirement for origin labelling. Discussions are still at an early stage and such changes necessarily take time to bring about. In recognition of this, the agency is also currently consulting publicly on revised Country of Origin Guidance notes for use by industry and enforcement officers.

Health

John Young (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive why it is not introducing a zero tolerance policy in relation to violent attacks on NHS and ambulance staff.

Malcolm Chisholm: Our National Health made a commitment to provide staff with a safe working environment. Since then we have issued guidance on Dignity at Work: Eliminating Bullying and Harassment in the Workforce and are now in the process of preparing further guidance on Health at Work . This is being done in partnership with staff groups and will include a model policy for NHSScotland concerning refusal of treatment in certain circumstances to patients who are violent towards staff.

Health

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-20235 by Nicol Stephen on 17 December 2001, what plans it has to expand the Glasgow City Council and Greater Glasgow NHS Board Fruit Plus initiative to all pre-school and primary school children across Scotland.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: The NHS in Scotland provides the conduit for the bulk of the £26 million per annum Health Improvement Fund resources, which includes priorities to improve the diet of children through supporting the provision of fruit in pre-school settings and breakfast clubs and fruit/salad bars in school settings. NHS boards have received their allocations and notification of the priority topics and it is for boards, in partnership with other local interests, to determine how best to meet local needs to improve community health in their local areas.

  I look forward to receiving the evaluation report from the pilot Fruit Plus initiative in Glasgow, which is partly funded through the Health Improvement Fund.

Homelessness

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to prevent and tackle homelessness.

Iain Gray: The Homelessness Task Force has undertaken a major review of the causes and nature of homelessness in Scotland. The task force’s final report, which makes wide-ranging recommendations on how homelessness can best be prevented and, where it does occur, tackled effectively, is now available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 19472). The Executive has endorsed the task force’s recommendations and will be taking these forward in partnership with local authorities and other relevant agencies. In doing so we will focus particularly on preventing homelessness, on using resources in a more effective manner and on changing current practice in responding to homelessness.

  We will be making £11 million available over the next two financial years to support the report’s recommendations – this is in addition to the £27 million provided to fund the implementation of the homelessness provisions of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001. Local authorities’ homelessness strategies will provide the framework for ensuring that these resources are used in the most effective manner. A monitoring group will also be established to oversee the implementation of the recommendations.

Justice

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the next phase of its diligence review will be published.

Dr Richard Simpson: The work on the review of the law of diligence is now complete. I am currently considering a draft consultation document. The Executive intends to publish it in April.

Ministerial Code

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to update the Scottish Ministerial Code.

Mr Jack McConnell: The Scottish Ministerial Code was first published in August 1999. It provides a code of conduct and guidance on procedures for Scottish ministers. It also underlines our commitment to working in partnership with the Scottish Parliament. We have updated the code to reflect a number of developments since 1999. The changes include: the addition of the Seven Principles of Public Life as set out in the first report of the Nolan Committee; revised guidance on the procedure for discussion of private interests with incoming ministers; arrangements for appointing Ministerial Parliamentary Aides, and revised guidance on contact with commercial companies. Further changes will be made as and when appropriate, including any changes we consider necessary in relation to contacts with commercial lobbyists following further consideration of the Standards Committee’s recent report on lobbying.

  Copies of the latest version of the Scottish Ministerial Code will be available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre, and on the internet at www.scotland.gov.uk.

Nursing

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many bank and agency nurses have been employed by each NHS trust in the last year and what the cost was to each trust of employing such nurses.

Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is shown in the following tables and covers the period April 2000 to March 2001. The information includes qualified and unqualified staff in whole-time equivalent terms for bank and agency nurses. Headcount for bank nurses has been included but is not available for agency nurses.

  Table 1: Bank and Agency Nursing and Midwifery Staff Employed by Trust1

  April 2000 - March 2001

  

 

Headcount2,3


Bank Nurse Average WTE4


Agency Average WTE4




Scotland 
  

9,821 
  

1,345.8 
  

725.1 
  



Argyll & Clyde Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 
  

690 
  

51.0 
  

8.0 
  



Lomond & Argyll PCT 
  

180 
  

20.8 
  

4.3 
  



Renfrewshire & Inverclyde PCT 
  

85 
  

12.5 
  

58.0 
  



Ayrshire & Arran Acute Hospitals Trust 
  

348 
  

68.0 
  

8.3 
  



Ayrshire & Arran PCT 
  

351 
  

45.3 
  

- 
  



Borders General Hospital NHS Trust5


217 
  

11.7 
  

.. 
  



Borders PCT 
  

305 
  

36.3 
  

0.6 
  



Dumfries & Galloway AHT 
  

7 
  

2.0 
  

0.0 
  



Dumfries & Galloway PCT6


.. 
  

.. 
  

- 
  



Fife Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 
  

295 
  

35.3 
  

33.0 
  



Fife PCT 
  

260 
  

37.4 
  

12.9 
  



Forth Valley Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 
  

262 
  

29.5 
  

8.1 
  



Forth Valley PCT 
  

57 
  

6.1 
  

10.1 
  



Grampian University Hospitals NHS Trust 
  

461 
  

102.3 
  

26.8 
  



Grampian PCT 
  

535 
  

73.0 
  

1.4 
  



North Glasgow UHT 
  

1,023 
  

179.2 
  

141.7 
  



South Glasgow UHT 
  

393 
  

78.7 
  

76.2 
  



Yorkhill NHS Trust 
  

107 
  

10.3 
  

8.0 
  



Greater Glasgow PCT 
  

118 
  

25.3 
  

6.7 
  



Highland Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 
  

286 
  

33.6 
  

2.4 
  



Highland PCT 
  

349 
  

37.7 
  

7.4 
  



Lanarkshire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 
  

403 
  

54.2 
  

33.6 
  



Lanarkshire PCT 
  

303 
  

32.9 
  

4.4 
  



Lothian University Hospitals NHS Trust 
  

527 
  

54.1 
  

236.7 
  



Lothian PCT 
  

1362 
  

157.8 
  

10.9 
  



West Lothian Healthcare NHS Trust 
  

342 
  

52.7 
  

6.4 
  



Tayside University Hospitals NHS Trust 
  

329 
  

32.3 
  

18.4 
  



Tayside PCT 
  

318 
  

37.9 
  

0.6 
  



Orkney Health Board 
  

45 
  

5.9 
  

- 
  



Shetland Health Board 
  

73 
  

5.9 
  

0.2 
  



Western Isles Health Board 
  

100 
  

15.8 
  

- 
  



Borders HQ 
  

1 
  

0.1 
  

- 
  



  Source: ISD(M)18

  ERBOD (via the SSPS)

  ISD Scotland

  Notes:

  1. These data are not included under the National Statistics banner.

  2. There are a large number of bank and agency nursing and midwifery staff recorded on payroll, however not all are active. The number shown here relates to the number of nursing and midwifery staff that were paid for at least 7.5 hrs (one day) of work in this period.

  3. The headcount figures for Scotland are adjusted to take into account individuals who work in more than one organisation in within Scotland. For this reason, the Scotland figures may not equate to the sum of all the organisations.

  4. To calculate the average, one WTE is taken as a contribution of 37.5 hours per week x 52 = 1,950 hours per year.

  5. Borders General Hospital NHS Trust were unable to provide the number of hours worked by agency staff, hence an average WTE figure is not available.

  6. Data for Dumfries & Galloway PCT are missing as they do not use the Scottish Standard Payroll System.

  Table 2: Bank and Agency Nursing and Midwifery costs by Trust1

  April 2000 – March 2001

  

 

Bank Nurse Staff Costs2,3
(£) 
  

Agency Nurse Staff Costs
(£) 
  



Scotland 
  

24,887,686 
  

19,028,372 
  



Argyll & Clyde Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 
  

948,578 
  

207,401 
  



Lomond & Argyll PCT 
  

336,364 
  

80,026 
  



Renfrewshire & Inverclyde PCT 
  

221,239 
  

885,750 
  



Ayrshire & Arran Acute Hospitals Trust 
  

1,085,742 
  

388,119 
  



Ayrshire & Arran PCT 
  

726,589 
  

- 
  



Borders General Hospital NHS Trust 
  

218,802 
  

74,129 
  



Borders PCT 
  

573,914 
  

22,789 
  



Dumfries & Galloway AHT 
  

C 
  

- 
  



Dumfries & Galloway PCT 
  

.. 
  

127 
  



Fife Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 
  

726,099 
  

1,082,342 
  



Fife PCT 
  

869,488 
  

307,010 
  



Forth Valley Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 
  

557,315 
  

244,564 
  



Forth Valley PCT 
  

104,832 
  

328,518 
  



Grampian University Hospitals NHS Trust 
  

2,041,013 
  

1,016,405 
  



Grampian PCT 
  

1,456,156 
  

23,760 
  



North Glasgow UHT 
  

3,155,889 
  

3,418,697 
  



South Glasgow UHT 
  

1,346,311 
  

2,168,012 
  



Yorkhill NHS Trust 
  

245,965 
  

287,651 
  



Greater Glasgow PCT 
  

376,645 
  

174,220 
  



Highland Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 
  

615,685 
  

131,761 
  



Highland PCT 
  

697,083 
  

169,420 
  



Lanarkshire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 
  

919,527 
  

724,811 
  



Lanarkshire PCT 
  

595,436 
  

119,650 
  



Lothian University Hospitals NHS Trust 
  

1,236,602 
  

5,792,951 
  



Lothian PCT 
  

2,840,146 
  

268,516 
  



West Lothian Healthcare NHS Trust 
  

1,010,196 
  

296,821 
  



Tayside University Hospitals NHS Trust 
  

634,138 
  

782,114 
  



Tayside PCT 
  

743,165 
  

23,881 
  



Orkney Health Board 
  

118,837 
  

- 
  



Shetland Health Board 
  

141,128 
  

8,927 
  



Western Isles Health Board 
  

276,883 
  

- 
  



Borders HQ 
  

C 
  

- 
  



  Source: ISD(M)18

  ERBOD (via the SSPS)

  ISD Scotland

  Notes:

  1. These data are not included under the National Statistics banner.

  2. Costs are under recorded for two reasons. Firstly, data for Dumfries and Galloway PCT are missing as they do not use the Scottish Standard Payroll System (SSPS). Secondly, for other trusts, costs relating to bank nurses are not always identified explicitly on the SSPS.

  3. Costs relating to less than 10 bank nursing and midwifery staff are omitted to avoid the possibility of an individual's earnings being identified. The trusts affected by this have "C" in the bank nurse cost column.

Public Appointments

David McLetchie (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the appointees to Scottish public bodies since 1 July 1999 have been (a) women, (b) people with disabilities, (c) people from ethnic minorities, (d) people from outwith the central belt and (e) people from lower socio-economic groups, as identified in paragraph 33 of Public Bodies: Proposals for Change and how it proposes to quantify and measure any progress made in this area.

Mr Andy Kerr: The reporting periods set by the Commissioner for Public Appointments for statistical returns have changed over the past three years. It is not therefore possible to give annual figures. The following table provides details of the number of women, disabled and ethnic minority appointees during the periods specified.

  


Period 
  

Women 
  

Disabled 
  

Ethnic Minority 
  

Total Appointments 
  



No. 
  

% of Total 
  

No. 
  

% of Total 
  

No. 
  

% of Total 
  



1.7.1999-31.12.1999 
  

28 
  

28 
  

Nil 
  
 

1 
  

1 
  

101 
  



1.1.2000-30.9.2000 
  

74 
  

36 
  

1 
  

<1 
  

2 
  

<1 
  

207 
  



1.10.2000-31.3.2001 
  

23 
  

27 
  

1 
  

1 
  

1 
  

1 
  

84 
  



  It has to be borne in mind that the overall composition of boards changes on a regular basis as posts are vacated and filled. The most up to date statistics show that, of the 1,132 appointees in post at 1 December 2001, 360 (32%) were women; 20 (1.7%) were people from ethnic minority backgrounds and seven (0.6%) were people with self-registered disabilities. On the same date, just over 37% of all appointees gave their place of residence as outwith the central belt. Data on different socio-economic backgrounds is not recorded.

  The Executive is committed to encouraging a wider range of candidates to come forward for consideration. Outreach work promoting public appointments to under-represented groups continues, as does our work aimed at drawing up a diversity strategy for public appointments. This is being taken forward in collaboration with the statutory equality bodies and others.

  Once the office of a Scottish Commissioner for Public Appointments is established, we will work closely with them to monitor progress towards achieving greater diversity in public appointments.

Public Appointments

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which organisations nominated each applicant for the 12 new Independent Assessor posts.

Mr Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-22755 on 25 February 2002.

Rail Network

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to Her Majesty’s Rail Inspectorate regarding the opening of Beauly Station and when any such representations were made.

Lewis Macdonald: Railway safety is a reserved matter. The re-opening of Beauly Station is a matter for Railtrack and the Health and Safety Executive. The Scottish Executive has no direct locus or powers to intervene.

Scottish Executive

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what contacts (a) ministers and (b) civil servants have had with (i) the accounting firm Arthur Andersen and (ii) Arthur Andersen Consulting including (1) meetings, (2) hospitality received including events organised by bodies other than the Executive, (3) briefings or assistance with policy formulation and (4) any other form of contact, all since 1 July 1999.

Mr Andy Kerr: It is not practicable to provide the information in the detail requested. In particular, detailed records are not kept of the other participants in, or sponsors of, events such as conferences or seminars that are attended by ministers or officials. Partners or staff of Arthur Andersen or Andersen Business Consulting may be involved as members of other organisations, or advisors to them, and detailed records are not kept of contacts with them in that capacity.

  Direct contacts with Arthur Andersen or Andersen Business Consulting about contracts or other services provided or offered to the Scottish Executive, including meetings, conferences and presentations, are subject to strict public procurement rules and rules governing the acceptance of hospitality.

Urban Waste Water Treatment (Scotland) Regulations 1994

Iain Smith (North-East Fife) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on designations under the Urban Waste Water Treatment (Scotland) Regulations 1994.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive has designated nine bathing waters as sensitive areas, under the terms of the Urban Waste Water Treatment (Scotland) Regulations 1994 (which are intended to implement the obligations of the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) in Scotland). This means that water authorities are, or will be providing tertiary treatment for all significant sewage discharges that have been affecting the quality of these bathing waters. Tertiary treatment, which is a higher level of treatment than the norm of secondary treatment, means that discharges will be given either chemical or ultra violet disinfection after biological treatment and before discharge into the receiving waters. This additional treatment will provide further protection to the bathing waters, resulting in public health benefits.

  List of Bathing Waters Designated as Sensitive Areas

  Fraserburgh

  Philorth

  Inverboyndie

  Nairn Central

  Nairn East

  Portobello Central

  Portobello West

  St Andrews East Sands

  St Andrews West Sands

  I am placing copies of maps, showing the location of these designated bathing water sensitive areas, in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 19579 for the Fraserburgh and Philorth map; 19583 for the Inverboyndie map; 19580 for the Nairn Central and East map; 19581 for the Portobello Central and West map, and 19582 for the St Andrews East and West Sands map). Copies will also be deposited with Scottish Environment Protection Agency for public inspection. My officials are sending a letter to the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency requiring them to take action under their statutory powers, to ensure compliance with discharge consent conditions which will include tertiary treatment and to monitor the urban waste water discharges to sensitive areas. Additionally, my officials will publish a notice of the designation in the Edinburgh Gazette.

Water Authorities

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the West of Scotland Water Authority will nominate a specific member of staff to be responsible for liasing with local residents while the Environmental Statement is being exhibited by the authority and during construction of the proposed water treatment plant at Milngavie as part of the Katrine Water Project.

Ross Finnie: This is a matter for West of Scotland Water, and I have asked the Chief Executive to respond. His response is as follows:

  The Environmental Statement is part of the planning process and in the first instance all correspondence on this matter should be addressed to the Head of Partnership & Planning, East Dunbartonshire Council, The Triangle, Kirkintilloch Road, Bishopbriggs G66 4TJ.

  West of Scotland Water’s Katrine Water Project team are currently responding to queries from residents on all matters relating to the project including the Environmental Statement. Members of the public can contact either the Katrine Water Project Office at Kirk Wynd House, Montgomery Place, The Village, East Kilbride G74 4BF, telephone number 01355-581469 or the authority’s Customer Helpline number on 0808-100-5333 should they wish further information.

  For community liaison during the construction phase, I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-22386 on 8 February 2002.